Strong Quads and Hamstrings Keep Osteoarthritic Knees Happy!

Bothered by knee pain due to osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis of the knee in Vancouver is not unusual, and Vancouver Disc Centers helps many patients deal with it. We chiropractic physicians comprehend body mechanics!

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that puts people at risk for disability as they age. In fact, nearly one in two people will develop knee osteoarthritis in their lifetime. (1) Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of cartilage in nearly any joint in the body, but the spine, knees and hips seems to be the most often affected. Want to know why? They do the most motion.

In our chiropractic practice, Vancouver Disc Centers may see more women than men with this ailment of osteoarthritis of the knee, but men will suffer osteoarthritis of the knee too. The knee is the biggest joint in the body and is heavily used. Some of the chiropractic treatments we may discuss are knee exercises for osteoarthritis treatment and prevention. Don't do any of them until we decide on what's best for your health, but these may be a boon for you.

Two major muscles that control knee motion are the quadriceps (above and in front of the knee) and the hamstrings (three of them that run down the back to the side of knee). Stretch and strengthen those, keep your knees - and your back! - happy.(2,3)

Osteoarthritis Knee Exercise #1 - Quadriceps Stretch

• Grab the back of a chair. Keep your knees together and back straight. Pull your foot to your hip with your hand. Hold for up to 30 seconds. Relax and repeat up to 5 times on each side.

Osteoarthritis Knee Exercise #2 - Knee Extension to Strengthen the Quadriceps

• Sitting with your leg straight (on a bed or sofa), put a small pillow under your knee. Slowly lift your lower leg up and down. The key is to do this slowly. You'll notice your leg will quiver. Start with just a few repetitions. The more you do this exercise, the less you will notice your leg shake.

Osteoarthritis Knee Exercise #3 – Hamstring Stretch

Osteoarthritis of the knee may bother your daily activities, but Vancouver Disc Centers is confident that the mixture of our Vancouver chiropractic care and your commitment to some exercise and possibly nutrition for osteoarthritis will get you feeling better and moving less painfully around Vancouver.

Review these articles about osteoarthritis of the knee, then contact Vancouver Disc Centers to set up an appointment to start your chiropractic treatment plan for knee osteoarthritis pain mitigation today.